Ricky Riccota's Mighty Robot

From Dav Pilkey, author of Captain Underpants, comes this great series about a mouse named Ricky Ricotta who lives in Squeekyville, where all the inhabitants last names are a type of cheese. The first book describes how the Dr. Stinky McNasty created the Mighty Robot to destroy earth. The Mighty Robot refused and Ricky saved him from being destroyed by the evil Doctor.

The next books of the series tell the tales of how Ricky and his Mighty Robot save the world from various villains from different planets. The creatures happen to alliterate with the planets their from (Vultures from Venus, Monkeys from Mars, Unicorns from Uranus...).

This series is written at about a 1st/2nd grade level so the books are perfect for primary grades, or struggling upper grade readers. There are tons of great pictures, and almost have a chapter book meets graphic novel feel.

~Rachael - 4th/5th Teacher

Ivy + Bean

This delightful series has 6 books. The first book, and namesake for the series shows the beginning of the amazing friendship of these two unlikely pals. Bean loves to climb trees, play in mud puddles and jump on her bed. She never wears dresses and always keeps her hair cut short so she doesn't have to deal with it. Ivy on the other hand always wears dresses and is constantly seen reading a book! This tale follows the two girls as their friendship unfolds. In the next 5 books Ivy + Bean solve mysteries, get into trouble and become better friends! Great for 2nd grade on up to struggling readers in the upper grade grades.

Rachael - 4th/5th teacher

The Ballad of Lucy Whipple

So often when we think of the Gold Rush of California, what comes to mind is a crusty old Yosemite Sam type of character. In The Ballad of Lucy Whipple, Newbery Award winning author Karen Cushman gives us a different perspective. In this realistic, poignant, but often funny historical fiction novel-a young California Morning Whipple is dragged by her widowed mother away from her beloved Massachusetts to help set up a boarding house in Lucky Diggins, California. She absolutely detests the rough and tumble town and changes her name from California Morning to a more refined Lucy. This story is told in the first person (and sometimes in letters) and has a lot of interesting details about what life might have been like for women and children during the Gold Rush times.
Barbara-Elementary School Reading Teacher.

Hope for the Flowers by Trina Paulus

Hope for the Flowers by Trina Paulus is a sweet story of two caterpillars that grow into butterflies. Yellow and Stripe are two caterpillars who meet while trying to find out the meaning of life. They decide to break away from the pack of caterpillars and fall in love. Then one day Yellow discovers a butterfly and learns about what her fate may be. Stripe’s destiny leads him on another path. Yellow builds a cocoon and finally hatches. Stripe is heartbroken that he cannot find yellow but continues on his own journey. Stripe and Yellow cross paths again and it is clear what he needs to do. The illustrations are all delicately hand drawn. Hope for the Flowers is lovely story for any reader who loves a happy ending!

Lauren R elementary school teacher

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

I knew I had to read Diary of a Wimpy Kid (written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney) when students were trying to steal it from our school's book fair! I ended up laughing out loud, despite myself. Main character, Greg Heffley, relates his middle school adventures and misadventures in a journal his mother gave him... "Let me just say for the record that I think middle school is the dumbest idea ever invented. You have kids like me who haven't hit their growth spurt yet mixed with these gorillas who need to shave twice a day," Greg complains. The cartoons in this book help make the book appealing to children who normally are reluctant readers, but the funny dialogue is enjoyable for everyone. I've heard rumors that a "Wimpy Kid" movie is coming out in movie theaters in August. So if you are someone who likes to read the book first, you have only a few months to check it out.

-Barbara, Elementary School Reading Teacher

I'd Tell You That I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

First in the series of three books thus far, I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You by Ally Carter is great if you are into espionage. Cammie Morgan is a student at a very special school for girls and her mother is the head mistress (mom went there too). One thing, the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women isn’t some snooty prep school as it appears on the outside; it is actually a spy school. Cammie like all the others girls at the school is a genius, she is highly trained in hand-to-hand combat, is an excellent “pavement artist” in fact, they call her the “chameleon”, and she knows the languages and social skills of fourteen plus cultures. But when she is on a practice assignment in the local town she gets noticed, by an ordinary guy (who happens to be a hottie!). The boy, Josh, is her first “subject” in an offical report and her heart’s first flutter. She can handle just about any spy situation, but to handle a boy? Her life is less than ordinary, both parents were spies, dad never came back from a mission, and now her life is the academy, training for her future life. So how is she going to have a relationship with a normal guy who can never really know the truth? This is a great book and series for any girl or woman who dreams of being a part of a clandestine organization to protect the world from bad people. It is filled with secret passages, tech gadgetry, sub-ground levels that can only be accessed through retinal scans, and quirky ex-spy professors who test them to the brink of life. After all a spy’s life is just that. Because this was written in 2006, it is fresh and contemporary. It is a great vicarious experience! C. Murray

Salsa Stories

When children read Salsa Stories (written and illustrated by Lulu Delacre) they will be experiencing cultural traditions from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Mexico, and Peru. In this story, a young American girl, Carmen Teresa, receives a journal at her family's New Year's party. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and family friends tell stories from their Caribbean, South American, and Mexican childhoods and hope Carmen Teresa will record their tales in her new journal. Each story becomes a chapter in the book.This book includes recipes from Hispano-America and beautiful linocut illustrations. It is perfect for upper elementary school students.

-Barbara, Elementary School Reading Teacher

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

This is another favorite of mine. I like it so much, in fact, that I am currently reading it aloud to my support students (tenth grade struggling readers) and get this, they actually ask me to read more because they are so into the plot! This book follows three main characters: Connor, Risa, and Lev who are all about to be unwound. In this futuristic society, all babies must be born but at the age of thirteen to eighteen, parents can choose to unwind their children (have them killed but use every part of them as organ/tissue transplants so officially they are not dead). Connor, Risa and Lev have all been ordered to be unwound (Connor because his parents see him as a screw up, Risa because she is a ward of the state that just lost their budget, and Lev is a tithe--tenth child in his family and thus given as an offering). This story not only builds great suspense and strong character development, but it deals with very sticky topics such as abortion, murder, religion and what it means to be alive or dead. It’s a fabulous read and I highly recommend it.

Julia, High School Teacher

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

This is a fascinating read. The book takes place in the future on a planet settled by earthlings looking for a better life. In this society, a terrible disease is believed to have swept through the country, killing all the women and making it possible for all the men to hear each others’ thoughts. Young Todd, the protagonist, is about to be of age (13), when he finds his world turned around and everything he ever believed to be true, actually a lie. This is an extremely suspenseful, action-packed novel that will leave you at the edge of your seat. Read with a box of Kleenex and the sequel--you'll want to read it right away since this book has quite the cliff hanger.

Julia, High School Teacher

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I highly recommend this series. I have suggested it to many of my teenage students after reading it, and all have devoured it happily. The story is reminiscent of “The Lottery,” by Shirley Jackson. The protagonist, Katniss, lives in a society that has twelve districts outside the capital city. Due to a civil war the capital won, each year “The Hunger Games” are held to remind the districts that they were defeated and are at the will of the capital. For the games, two children from each district are sacrificed to fight to the death. These “games” are mandatory viewing for the districts. Katniss’ little sister is chosen to fight and Katniss steps in to take her place. From here, the story commences. Truly, a read you won’t forget.
Julia, High School Teacher

Dragon Slayers' Academy

Dragon Slayers' Academy, by Kate McMullan is an imaginative chapter book series that will grab many reluctant readers attention. These books give us a look into three friends journey in becoming dragon slayers. It has wizards, funny characters, talking pigs, and there is always a problem that needs to be solved. It's hard only having one copy in your room, because the students want to be the ones reading them. The books are geared more towards third grade, but if you have a strong reader, they will have no problem taking this book on. It can also be used as a fun read aloud. The students will laugh their way through the whole book.
~ Amanda 2nd grade